Motor vehicle body



ay n, 1943.

F. w. KRAMER l MOTOR VEHICLE BODY Filed De@ 22, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 I l if" l/Kmmn "3mm l Il, i943, F. w. KRAMER 2,319,002

` MOTOR VEHICLE BODY y Filed Dec. 22, 1941V z'sheets-sheet 2 INV ENT OR.

Patente'd May ll, 1943 UNi'EED STATES PAEEN'u QEFQ MOTOR VEHECLE BODY lFi-ed W. Kramer, New i-leans, lLa.

Application December 22, 1941, Serial No. 424,038

(ci. 18o- 54) d Claims.

This invention relates to motor vehicle bodies and more particularly to means for Ventilating tinuation in part of application Serial No.

285,793, illed July 21, 1939, now Patent 2,266,769. The invention consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is also an object oi the invention to construct the body in full streamline effect, reducing friction, 4and enabling its 'use as a land or 'water craft, since. air and water resistance is greatly reduced.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a body in which a forced draft air tempering and circulating system may be readily built in as a unitary part of the body operable in conjunction with incoming fresh air, and to provide means whereby when desired, the circulation of air maybe diverted to the passengerv compartment, orto the engine compartment, to cool the engine of the vehicle, or the air may be divided between the two compartments.

It. is also an object of the invention to provide a construction of body in which an air conditioning unit may be incorporated permitting discharge of either a cooled or heated air into the body,as required.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle conf structed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the vehicle.

VFigure 3 is a top plan View of the vehicle.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross section on the line i-l of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a similar viewonthe line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a ydetail of shutter control.

There is illustrated a vehicle lil embodying a passenger compartment ii and a rearwardly structure, a detailed discussion' thereof is not believed essential.

The compartment l2 includes a suitably hinged closure door I l provided with louvers I8 for a purpose as will presently appear. The compartment has a forward Wall i9 which in the present instance forms the back rest of the rear seat 2d of the vehicle. This wall is provided with adjustable shutters 2l in an upper portion thereof, whereby air from the compartment may pass to the motor compartment when the shutters are in open position.

'I'he upper or roof portion 22 of the vehicle. as well as the side Walls 23 are shown as a double shell construction, and at the juncture between the side walls and the roof` portion,

leading rearwardly to and opening upon a suction means '25 mounted upon and operatively connected with the engine i3 so as to draw 'air through the ducts.

positioned motor compartment i2 housing an engine i3, operatively connected with traction drive wheels i6 through gearing i5. The vehicle also includes front steering Wheels ill as well as suitable steering gear indicated at i6. This structure as well as the general body construction has been fully described in vmy application previously referred to and since the claims of the present application are not directed to the 'I'he discharge of air from the suction means 25 is such as to direct the air over'the engine and through the radiator 26v and may nally pass through the louvers i6 of the compartment door il to the atmosphere.

Y In the fore upperv part of the roof 22 an air tempering unit 2l is built in, the lower portion of which is in communication with the fore ends oi the ducts 26, while the upper portion of the unit is provided with adjustable shutters 28 for controlling discharge of tempered air within the passenger compartment il.

The roof 22 at its front part is preferably constructed with a compartment 29 for accommoda- -tion of the unit 27, the front or open end thereof being provided with adjustable shutters 36.-

The air tempering unit 2l has not been disclosed in detail since any conventional unit may be employed so long as it .will function to discharge either a cooled or heated air into thel lpassenger compartment l i and the ducts 2d.

In Figure 6, there is shown conventionally a type of shutter which may be employed for controlling the passage of air into the tempering unit 2l which consists of pivotally mounted shutter elements 3i operable byl means of a rod 32.

In use, air passes through the shutters 3| and` charges through the shut-ters 2i into the motor compartment I2 where it will circulate around the engine I3 and radiator 26 to eiect a cooling thereof. Air will also pass through the lower portion of the unit 2l and pass through respective ducts 24, beingV drawn therethrough by the suction means 25. although when the vehicle is in motion the forward movement of the vehicle will tend to force the air therethrough. Such air is discharged into the motor compartment so as to discharge through theradiator 26, circulate about the motor and nally discharge through the louvers I8 of the door I1. Heated air may be similarly controlled.

It will be understood of course, that the amount of air discharged into the passenger and motor compartments may be regulated by adjustment of the various shutters 2i, 28 and 30. For instance, the shutters 28 may be adjusted so as to limit excessive passage of air into the compartment I Land also the shutters 2l may be partially closed so that there will be a reduced circulation of air, thus avoiding drafts which may be unon the sides thereof open to said opening of the body, a compartment in the rear of the bOdy, a power unit in the compartment for propelling the vehicle, suction means operatively connected with the power unit, said ducts being in communication with the suction means, shutter means between the open front and the interior of the body, and a door for the compartment, said door having louvers for escape yof air drawn into the `10 compartment.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which the power unit comprises a' radiator positioned in the path of out-iiowing air. l 3. In a motor vehicle or the like, a body having a passenger compartment and a motor comparisment to the rear thereof, said motor compartment having a louvered closure door; the body having an opening at the forward part thereof, an air tempering unit xed in the said opening and in communication with the passenger compartment, means for controlling passage of air into the passenger compartment and ducts on the sides of the body in communication with the air tempering unit and opening upon said motor compartment.

4. 'Ihe structure of claim 3 in which adjustable Y shutters are provided for controlling air entering the air tempering unit, and in which the passenger compartment includes adjustable shutters y for controlling passage of air to said motor com- Y 

